Glipizide
GITS Has Advantages Over Other Second-Generation Sulfonylureas
Once
daily dosing improves outcomes with better compliance.
In
a 'real-world' comparison, type 2 diabetics treated with glipizide
gastrointestinal therapeutic system (GITS) demonstrated better
adherence than patients using glipizide immediate release and
glibenclamide, researchers report.
"Our
study found that patients initiated on glipizide GITS were less likely
to experience treatment change and had longer duration of therapy
compared to glipizide immediate release and glibenclamide," Dr.
Carolyn R. Harley from Ingenix Inc., Eden Prairie, Minnesota, told
Reuters Health.
"These
results may be attributed to GITS' extended-release formulation, which
may lead to better glucose control and fewer side effects,
particularly hypoglycemia," Dr. Harley said.
In
a retrospective claims analysis, Dr. Harley and colleagues collected
data on 24,331 patients with type 2 diabetes. Of these subjects 35%
filled a first prescription for glipizide GITS, 15% for glipizide
immediate release and 50% for glibenclamide. At the end of the study
(1620 days) 79% of the subjects had discontinued treatment.
Cox
proportional hazard analysis showed that, compared with patients on
glipizide GITS, those taking glipizide immediate release were 1.3
times more likely to experience treatment change during the first 90
days of therapy, and patients taking glibenclamide were 1.2 times more
likely.
At
1620 days, the results of the analysis were similar to the 90-day
results, Dr. Harley's team adds.
In
addition, patients taking glipizide immediate release and
glibenclamide were significantly less likely to adhere to therapy (p
< 0.001) than those on glipizide GITS, according to the report in
the September issue of Clinical Drug Investigations.
Dr.
Harley and colleagues conclude that "while this study does not
establish a direct link between non-adherence and the need for therapy
modification, it does identify an association between glipizide GITS
and higher levels of adherence and longer time to therapy
modification."
They
add that "the results suggest that there are 'real-life'
advantages with the uses of glipizide GITS, a once-daily time-release
sulphonylurea, over glipizide immediate release and glibenclamide." Clin Drug
Invest 2002;22:575-584.
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